i am getting addicted to diesel mb's. ive found myself looking for another. ive always driven by one that was parked for several years in my community so i stopped and asked the owner what he did with it.

i know it is a 1985 300 turbo diesel. he bought the car new in 86, and one day in 1994 it just didnt start anymore. he said if i took it out of his driveway i could have it. he gave me the title, i am going tomorrow to pick it up.

What i know:
the odometer has 90k miles, and its accurate. all the service records are in the glove box.
body is ok. reletavely no rust besides the inner fenders. and the a@@ drilled holes in the roof for a bike rack so they leak.
im not worried about interior i just wanna get the car running for now.
calipers are froze.
needs break lines
frame is solid
needs floor boards.
of course needs battery and tires

what i dont know:
i want to figure out how i can get this thing started, or else i guess i will just junk it. i looked through the service manuals, and the guy didnt ever do a valve job and didnt even know what it was.
- maybe the there was no more clearance for the car to start?
i think its just weird for a car to run fine then not start the next day.
is there a way to bypass the starter and see if thats the issue?


any other ideas on what to check first?

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95 E320 24k
07 E550 4matic 20k Soon to go
1977 240d 481k
2013 SL 600


Non MBs

02 Ford F250 Lariat 4 Quad Cab 7.3 Diesel 95k
01 Chevy Suburban 249K LT 5.3 V8
88 Saab SPG Convertible 32k
06 Lincoln Mark LT 59k
62 VW Bug
52 Bentley Mark IV
53 GMC half Ton Pickup
08 VW Beetle convertible 2k
07 bmw x5 4.8i 17k
03 bmw x5 4.4i 40k
08 Range Rover S 9K

"Squish-squirt-boom-go". If it turns over, and has good fuel, you're golden. Probably got some bad fuel. Try sucking fuel from a bottle or can (or my fav: an ATF bottle) directly into the IP.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I recently bought a 1983-300SD that had been sitting since 1996. I removed the canister filter and filled it with half gasoline and fresh diesel fuel... Used a good charged battery.. started iin about 5 minutes.. smoked and then ran like a top... I pumped the brakes gently and slowly moved the car back and forth and pumped the brakes... then I drove the car 35 miles home... The valve might be out of adjustment but the engine should start... I didn't try to bleed the air either... I am going to do a brake job next... work on the front suspension and paint... good luck... Jim

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James A. Harris

If only 90k you should have an excellent engine and transmission at least. Something simple caused this car not to start in all likelyhood. Glow plugs starter circuit etc..

Bigest problem since it has sat outside all these years is to hope engine has not stuck. Your climate there is probably not that much different than ours. It does seem to take longer for a diesel to stick but they can. Pull glow plugs or injectors and give cylinders a good soaking will not hurt anything.

Good find. A lot of members like myself would like to find a low milage car even if rough from sitting. You can always locate a southern car with marginal engine for a swap. If you decide to scrap it or part it out send me a private message please.

If the engine starts I'd say it's a definite candidate for a good parts car. The rusted out floorboards would be the deal breaker for me.

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"spreading a trail of obnoxious where ever we go"
1981 300sd w/ 341,500 miles

http://www.wecrash.com/pics/ddda_banner.gif

please check the glow plugs.

i just got the car in my driveway. i will start working on it now. i got new glowplugs, an extra battery, and hooked it up to a charger on "Start" i will post my findings later

the rusted floor boards are not a deal breaker for me because i do body work, i have a lift in my garage at home. for 4 hours of my time. some sheet metal and undercoat. i get new floor boards.

i can turn the engine by the power steering pump.....i know that is bad, i didnt want to lay on my back in the snow.

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95 E320 24k
07 E550 4matic 20k Soon to go
1977 240d 481k
2013 SL 600


Non MBs

02 Ford F250 Lariat 4 Quad Cab 7.3 Diesel 95k
01 Chevy Suburban 249K LT 5.3 V8
88 Saab SPG Convertible 32k
06 Lincoln Mark LT 59k
62 VW Bug
52 Bentley Mark IV
53 GMC half Ton Pickup
08 VW Beetle convertible 2k
07 bmw x5 4.8i 17k
03 bmw x5 4.4i 40k
08 Range Rover S 9K

so far i took out glow plugs, cleaned them. there are some wire harnesses that animals chewed through. i will post pics when my girlfriend gets home with the digital camera. i figured that before i try to start the car i must repair these wires? they come from the firewall area.

i guess these wires wouldnt affect the car starting however because it uses vaccum to sense the key position? it is probably for the interior electronics?

i am using a portable 5 gallon diesel can as my fuel tank for now. i need to drain the 14 year old crap from the tank in the back

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95 E320 24k
07 E550 4matic 20k Soon to go
1977 240d 481k
2013 SL 600


Non MBs

02 Ford F250 Lariat 4 Quad Cab 7.3 Diesel 95k
01 Chevy Suburban 249K LT 5.3 V8
88 Saab SPG Convertible 32k
06 Lincoln Mark LT 59k
62 VW Bug
52 Bentley Mark IV
53 GMC half Ton Pickup
08 VW Beetle convertible 2k
07 bmw x5 4.8i 17k
03 bmw x5 4.4i 40k
08 Range Rover S 9K

Sample the old fuel it may still be good. Not like gasoline at all.

As far as the chewed wires go... there is a neutral safety switch, which will not allow the car to be started unless the shifter is in neutral or park, so AFAIK that wire needs to be intact. Also, the vacuum controlled by the key just either shuts off the car or allows it to run, it doesn't send the signal to the starter solenoid to engage and start turning, so there should be a signal wire from the ignition, which would probably get +12v when turned to the start position, that wire also needs to be intact. Lastly, there is the glow plug relay wire. This wire wouldn't stop the starter from engaging, but it would make starting the thing up pretty difficult in the Poconos in fall/winter. Get those 3 together and hopefully your car will start right up.

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1981 300CD 260k w 60k on new motor
1983 240D 4spd Manual

Personally that sounds like a fun "problem" to have been given. Best of luck on the repairs!

Andy

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'95 E300D 313k miles
http://www.ourfullhouse.com

umm- whens the wife get home w/ the camera??

nice score.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

If you can turn the engine with the power steering pulley, the engine is not seized. I use the pulley to turn mine, and it does not seem to be tightening the pulley nut. I only turn it clockwise; some say it's not good to go the other way; some say it's OK either way.
Don't go wild adding lubricants to the cylinders; too much of a non-compressible fluid could cause a problem when cranking, unless you still have the glow plugs out.

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1980 300 TD

1997 Dodge Pickup/Cummins 5.9 12-valve

fuel / gas does not go 'bad'. Water condenses in the tank w/ either and settles on the bottom. The case w/ diesel is the biological contamination when moisture appears

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